Help. New bunny owner.

[cynthia]

Hello guys,
I just got a bunny. I have read all the article’s on this forum about bunnies. However, there is still so many questions.

According to the medical history I have obtained from the shelter where I got him, it states that he is a mix breed of “silver martin”. That he is a medium size bunny and that he has been neutered. Other than that I dont know anything about him as they did not know themselves. Until I got in and talk to the doctor I wont know if any of this information is true. (He is neutered though for sure).

I have an appointment with my vet, but its not until next week. I adore my vet as he is also the one that takes care of my chickens.

Can I litter train my bunny even if I am not home until the afternoon? I work so I come home in the afternoon.

I dont know exactly how much he weights so I just give him food. He has an outside pen that I plan to expand. He also has a small pen inside. I want to have him in the room with me though. Would that be ok?

My biggest concern is that he eats very little hay. I have bought him more options and diffrent brans. I am hopping he likes something. I just bought them yesterday so we will see what happens.

I see him eat grass as I take him out on his pen.
My other concern is his weight loss. He eats like a piggy, but has lost a lot of weight. He has been out and about running and streatching. I think they never took him out of his cage.

Thanks for your replys.
Cynthia

[Bam]

Hi and wellcome and congrats to your bunny!
It may very well be possible for you to litter-train your bunny even if you are away during the day. Most bunnies catch on quickly if you put poop and sth he’s peed on in the litterbox. It’s best if you put the litterbox where he has shown he likes to go, they tend to have a strong preference for certain spots and will go there whether there’s a litterbox or not.
Most bunnies sleep during the day, they are active mornings and evenings.

The BB forums advocate the keeping of bunnies indoors. It’s much safer for them and it’s much more fun for both the bunny and the owner to live together. Rabbits are very social animals, I have one rabbit who sleeps in my bed and another who is free-roam in the living-room. So it’s not only possible but also very much recommended that you keep your bunny inside with you.

Many rabbits are pickty with hay. Some won’t eat “old” hay, i e they want their hay topped up every day. Some eat more if you spread it around some so they can forage for it. And many ra bbits prefer pellets and treats to hay, in which cases you can try to restrict pellets and treats a little. But you should ask your vet about that, since it’s difficult for a lay-person to assess a bunny’s body with respect to fat and muscle. If he’s skinny you don’t want to reduce his pellets.

[cynthia]

Thank you. I wanted a bunny for a long time, but waited until I could afford one on my own.

Tanks for the info.
What kind of litter do I have to have for his litter box?

I will talk to the vet about the hay and weight loss. I will ask him about his pellet and hay ratio intake.

I forgot to mentioned that my room gets hot. Is this going to be an issue?
I was planning on getting an air cooling system for the summer. Winter is comming, but the room is still warm.

Thanks so much. I really want to give him a good home.
Cynthia

[Bam]

I use hardwood stove pellets in my litter boxes. It’s sold in feed stores etc, it’s for heating houses but works super well for rabbits and it’s not pricey. Another option is Yesterday’s News made from recycled newspaper.
Bunnies shouldn’t have more than 25 degrees C or 77 F where they live. When it gets hotter you need to provide coolness f ex in the form of frozen waterbottles that the bun can snuggle up to (make sure there’s room enough for the bun to move away too) or a fan.

[cynthia]

Thank you for all your help. I feel more confident.

[Bam]

You’re very welcome. If you have other bunny- questions of any kind, please just ask away. We are very happy to help

[cynthia]

Hi
I took him to the vet got everything checked. He weights 7.3 pounds.
He was good on weight, ears, fur/skin, teeth, nails, eyes, temp.
The vet was concerned about his breathing though. He has a respatory issue. The doc gave me meds to add to his water. He also wants to do a check for parasites in his stool.

So…while I treat my bunny and get him on the diet he needs (now that I know his weight) I still have questions.
I have a plastic box/tupplewear thing as a litter box. I think its too small as he is not using it. Where can I find a good litter box? I want to order one from here, but I need one asap. Do you have any suggestions? I am using news paper, but tonight will buy the wood chips.

I also wanted to know where I can get cable protectors. I have my computer, aquarium tank, and my turts light that I dont want it chewed on. Thanks

[cynthia]

[Reeem]

Cat litter boxes with high sides is probably the best option. I think you obviously know that pine and cedar are really bad especially when he already has respiratory problems. Im not sure but you may find cord covers in walmart or target.

[kcomstoc]

Just wanted to add another low cost litter option, I buy this stuff called horse bed pellets it’s like $5 for about 20 pounds or so *just guessing because I only have to buy it every 2 months or so and I have 2 bunnies. It’s REALLY absorbent and doesn’t smell *from what I notice* I get it from country max but it could also be in other stores…not sure.

[cynthia]

Thanks for the help everyone
He is on his meds, has a litter box with wood chips (I will try the others you guys mentioned), and overall a good home.
My family members tell me that the room will smell, that it will have a lot of hairs, and that he will chew everything.
I hope he likes it though. I do have a tortoise so I hope that is not a problem (male small and in an indoor pen).
I plan to order and get some toys for him tomorrow.
Very excited to see him settle in and healthy.
Thanks guys couldn’t of done it without your aid

[Author]

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